Best Practices in Pro Bono: Navigating Vicarious Trauma in Pro Bono Cases: Supporting Volunteers Before, During, and After Trauma‑Intensive Work
Pro bono volunteers often step into moments of profound human crisis—supporting asylum seekers fleeing violence, advocating for survivors of abuse, and assisting families facing destabilizing life events. These matters frequently involve trauma, and volunteers are often navigating unfamiliar legal terrain at the same time. When attorneys are not experts in the practice area or the trauma their clients have endured, it can be difficult to recognize triggers, respond appropriately, or understand how to set boundaries that protect both client well‑being and volunteer sustainability.
At the same time, volunteers bring their own lived experiences to this work. For some, the trauma embedded in pro bono cases may resonate deeply or unexpectedly, creating emotional strain that is not necessarily acknowledged openly. Many volunteers also struggle to identify or address vicarious trauma—especially when they are balancing demanding day jobs, personal stressors, and the broader pressures of the world around them.
Organizations and firms face parallel challenges: When and how should they check in with volunteers? What structures, practices, or tools can meaningfully support pro bono attorneys who are straddling two professional environments? How can we build systems that normalize conversations about vicarious trauma and equip volunteers and coordinators with strategies to manage it?
This panel will explore these questions from both the legal services and law firm perspectives. We will discuss practical approaches for preparing volunteers before they begin trauma‑intensive work, supporting them while they are engaged in it, and ensuring they have resources and community afterward. We will also examine opportunities for developing or strengthening organizational practices that help volunteers recognize, navigate, and mitigate vicarious trauma.
Join us for a candid conversation about how to support the emotional and professional well‑being of pro bono volunteers and walk away with actionable tools to put into practice for long-term volunteer sustainability.
We welcome pro bono coordinators from law firms, corporations, legal services providers, nonprofits, government agencies, and anyone who staffs pro bono projects.